Maison Law of Bakersfield protects the victims of hit-and-run accidents and makes sure they receive the support they need to recover. Pedestrian accident injury compensation is available even when a hit-and-run driver escapes and is never located and arrested.
You can discuss your options to secure support in a free case consultation with a real Bakersfield pedestrian accident lawyer. These information sessions by phone, online, or in person are confidential and they come with no obligation. Contact us today to set up a free case review to find out how to earn more for your pedestrian accident claim.
Bakersfield Hit-And-Run Pedestrian Accident Hazards
Bakersfield pedestrians trying to cross Ming Avenue or walking across a parking lot are always at risk from careless drivers. The injuries will be painful enough, but some victims can also be knocked to the pavement and then have to watch as a hit-and-run driver speeds away.
It’s a heartless decision. Hit-and-run drivers leave victims perhaps in danger of additional collisions. They leave pedestrians wait longer on the emergency care that they need. Bakersfield hit-and-run drivers also leave victims and their families facing the enormous costs of hospital, doctor, and physical therapy bills.
For more information on what to do after a collision check out our ultimate guide to California hit-and-run accidents.
How Can I Get Compensation After a Bakersfield Pedestrian Hit-And-Run Accident?
Hit-and-run suspects aren’t always caught and arrested, but when they are, pedestrian collision victims can seek help with recovery costs much like they would in a normal pedestrian accident.
Victims or their family members can file an accident claim against the at-fault driver’s car insurance company. Victims don’t have to wait on a trial or criminal hearing the suspect may face. Victims may file a pedestrian accident injury claim as soon as they are ready. The civil injury claim is determined separately from the criminal proceedings.
If a hit-and-run suspect flees and is never brought to justice. Most victims still have a way to secure support through recovery. If the injured pedestrian has auto insurance or is covered by a family member’s insurance policy, they should file an uninsured motorist claim.
This claim is filed with the victim’s own insurance and would help them get support for medical bills and help to replace lost income while a victim was out of work.
Uninsured/Underinsured (UM/UIM) motorist coverage comes with most car insurance policies. It’s not mandatory to have it in California, but in most cases, policyholders have to sign off to have it removed from a policy.
In the event you or a family member are hit by a driver without insurance, you still have a way to earn compensation to help pay all the medical bills that will arrive. In fact, your Bakersfield pedestrian accident attorney would be fighting to get support for you for more than just hospital invoices.
Do I Need a Lawyer After a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident?
If you or a loved one suffers a serious injury in a pedestrian accident, a pedestrian accident lawyer may be able to secure considerably more in support for your family. Unfortunately, pedestrian collisions often leave you with serious injuries like broken arms, legs, and hip joints. You may come away with head and long-lasting neck and back injuries.
Insurance companies realize that your medical bills will be rising and it’s their cue to try to get out of taking responsibility. This is true of an at-fault driver’s insurer, and in many cases, your own auto insurance company.
Your insurance representative can try to say that your carelessness was to blame for the accident. Or tell you that your injuries aren’t all that bad and that you won’t need all that much in compensation.
Your Bakersfield pedestrian accident attorney is your safeguard against these tactics that all insurance companies use to save money. Your lawyer fully investigates your accident and collects evidence that keeps an insurance provider from wriggling out of having to accept liability.
Your lawyer negotiates for the maximum in compensation available for you and your family. If an insurance adjuster extends a “lowball” settlement offer that doesn’t cover all of your recovery costs, your lawyer rejects it and demands more.
What Kinds of Things Can I Be Compensated for After a Pedestrian Accident
You should expect full compensation for every hospital bill and the resulting hardship you face due to your injury. What’s more, a skilled pedestrian accident lawyer would also get estimates on the care you could need in future years, such as additional surgeries and home care, and make sure those expenses were covered as well.
Whether you have to seek financial support from your own auto insurance provider or from an at-fault driver’s policy, your legal representative demands full compensation for several factors:
- Totals on medical bills and physical therapy expenses.
- Estimated costs for a lifetime of care and support if the pedestrian victim suffers a permanent physical disability.
- Compensation for the physical pain endured in recovery and perhaps bouts of chronic pain in the future.
- Emotional trauma. Depression and anxiety can affect victims who may suffer a loss of enjoyment of life in recovery.
- Past and future lost earnings and benefits while victims are forced to miss work hours.
- Wrongful death benefits. Families who have lost a close relative can file a wrongful death claim on the loved one’s uninsured motorist coverage. They could secure support for funeral expenses and leftover medical bills. They’ll also seek help with making up the income the victim can no longer provide close relatives.
Contact a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident Lawyer
After an accident involving an uninsured driver, make sure you act quickly. California extends the deadline to file an injury claim to two years. However, waiting months to file can mean that valuable evidence disappears, and witnesses become hard to find.
Speak with a Bakersfield Pedestrian Accident Lawyer to find out what your injury is worth and how to hold an insurance company and others fully accountable.
Schedule a free case consultation with Martin Gasparian, the founder of Maison Law. This evaluation comes with no obligation to you or your family. If you do feel we can help you earn more, you won’t need any money to hire Maison Law. We don’t get paid unless your case is won, and then our fee comes out of the settlement money you receive.
